Depilating device with a multiple-shell housing

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a depilating device with a multiple-shell housing (2), which a user can hold in the hand, a motor (13) accommodated in the housing (2), and a gear (14) to drive a rotary cylinder (8) which is preferably provided in a housing part (7) that is adapted to be uncoupled from the housing (2). The mechanically operated component parts, more particularly motor (13), gear (14), and rotary cylinder (8) with the housing part (8) in which it is incorporated, form an assembly unit (15) which is retained in the housing (2). Vibration absorbing elements (16, 17, 18) are provided at the points of connection between the assembly unit (15) and the housing (2).

The present invention relates to a depilating device with amultiple-shell housing, which can be held in the hand, including a motorincorporated in the housing and a gear to drive a rotary cylinder, withthe rotary cylinder being preferably arranged in a housing part adaptedto be uncoupled from the housing.

The present invention is based on a depilating device disclosed ininternational publication No. WO 93/04606 for removing hair from humanbody skin, including a housing, which can be hand held by a user, arotary cylinder that is driven by a motor and has pinching elements, andat least one actuating element, extending through the rotary cylinder,to actuate the pinching elements coupled to the actuating element. Inthis arrangement, the actuating element is operable by a pressureelement associated with the actuating element and is movable inopposition to the pressure of a spring, and a means is provided toadjust the pinching force of the pinching elements. This device shows ahousing having a housing bottom part and a housing top part (depilatorhead). A battery, a motor, and a gear to drive a rotary cylinder arerigidly mounted in the housing bottom part. The depilator head isdetachably coupled to the housing bottom part for cleaning purposes.

This known depilating device as disclosed in WO 93/04606 includes aplastic housing in which the mechanical component parts such as motor,gear and rotary cylinder, in the capacity of single component parts, aredirectly mounted in the housing. In this arrangement, operating noises,for example, produced by the mechanically operated component parts inthe device are transmitted to the housing without being absorbed. Thus,they are felt as disturbing by the user. Further, it should be notedwith respect to this device that vibrations acting on the device fromthe outside are transmitted unabsorbed to the mechanical and electricalcomponent parts in the housing. The result is that damage to the mountedparts caused by vibrations cannot be avoided.

An object of the present invention is to provide a depilating devicewhich permits effectively uncoupling the noises and mechanicalvibrations produced by the mounted parts from the housing of the device.Another objective is achieving a mechanical vibration absorption of themounted parts, thereby preventing vibrations, acting on the device fromthe outside, from being transmitted unabsorbed to the mounted parts.Still another objective is achieving a depilating device which can bemanufactured less costly with respect to the assembly and is easier tohandle, for example, when cleaned by the user.

This object is achieved by the present invention in that mechanicallyoperated component parts, especially motor, gear, and rotary cylinderincluding the housing part in which it is incorporated, form an assemblyunit retained in the housing. Vibration absorbing elements are providedat the points of connection between the assembly unit and the housing.

It is achieved by this arrangement that the depilating device mainlycomprises two assembly units, i.e., the unit of the mechanicallyoperated parts and the housing formed of a plurality of shells.Advantageously, this permits effectively uncoupling the mechanical partsfrom the housing. The noises produced in the housing are reduced by thevibration absorbing elements provided between the assembly unit of themechanically operated component parts and the housing.

In a preferred embodiment of the assembly unit including themechanically operated component parts, the motor and the gear arerigidly interconnected. A drive unit is provided thereby which,favourably, can be fitted easily into a housing shell. The sopreassembled motor-and-gear unit permits a major simplification of thehousing assembly.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the housing partaccommodating the rotary cylinder is detachably coupled to the gear. Tothis end, the rotary cylinder can be preassembled in an open carriermember or in a closed housing. This housing part is connected to thegear, or to a carrier element or housing accommodating the gear.Advantageously, the assembly unit including motor and gear is initiallymounted in a housing shell, and, subsequently, the housing part with therotary cylinder is slipped onto the gear, locked into the gear ormechanically coupled to it in a similar manner.

In a favourable embodiment of the present invention, points of supportand mating retaining means such as webs, pins, projections or similarelements are provided. The points of support may be provided on theassembly unit and the retaining means on the housing, or vice-versa, orthere may be a mixed arrangement. It is advantageously achieved therebythat, for example, retaining pins on the gear can be fitted and lockedin defined points of support on the housing. This permits a simpleassembly and reliable fixation of the assembly unit with the mechanicalparts in the housing.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vibrationabsorbing elements are mounted on the motor-and-gear assembly unit.Advantageously, the vibration absorbing elements can be preassembled asrings or cap-like elements on the assembly unit.

Another embodiment of the present invention suggests mounting thevibration absorbing elements in the housing. This arrangement is afavourable alternative to the above-mentioned design, and the vibrationabsorbing elements can preferably be coupled rigidly to the housingand/or can be provided in a two-shell design.

Advantageously, the vibration absorbing elements are designed to absorbacoustical and/or mechanical vibrations. This permits uncoupling thenoises produced in the device, on the one hand, and absorbing themechanical vibrations produced in the device when transmitted to thehousing, and/or reducing external influences which may be transmittedthrough the housing to the component parts in the housing, on the otherhand.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vibrationabsorbing elements are made of rubber or any other elastic material.Favourably, rubber rings, washers, caps or other component parts whichhave a similarly simple design and offer low-cost manufacture are used.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the vibrationabsorbing elements are elastic spring elements. Advantageously, thespring elements can be made of spring steel, for example, taking theshape of tension springs, compression springs or leaf springs.

Further, a partition line is provided between the housing and thehousing part accommodating the rotary cylinder according to the presentinvention. The partition line can extend transversely to the main axisof the housing and in parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotarycylinder, for example. Designing the partition line as a joint thatcircumferentially extends along the housing of the device provides afavourable separation of the depilator head, in which the rotarycylinder is accommodated, from the remaining housing of the depilatingdevice. Due to the provision of the mechanical parts in an assemblyunit, an effective uncoupling of this assembly unit from the remaininghousing of the device is achieved.

It is suggested in another aspect of the present invention that thehousing part, in which the rotary cylinder is incorporated, ispreferably coupled to the motor-and-gear drive unit by a locking device.Expediently, this arrangement permits a simple, detachable couplingbetween the housing part and the gear, and the embodied arrangement iseasy to manufacture and easy to handle by the user. This independentembodiment of the present invention can be used not only in the presentdepilating device, but also in depilating devices of any other design.

A locking device of the above-mentioned type is designed so that thehousing part includes at least one locking element, and the gear housinghas at least one coupling element mating with the locking element.Advantageously, this achieves reducing the number of component partsrequired for the locking device.

An additional suggestion involves providing at least one actuatingelement in the housing part to actuate a locking element. The actuatingelement, or preferably two actuating elements, are advantageouslyarranged on the outside of the housing part to act directly on thelocking element(s) provided in the housing part.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the actuating element ismovable in opposition to the pressure of a spring transversely to theaxis of rotation of the rotary cylinder. Favourably, a compressionspring is arranged in the housing part for this purpose, urging theactuating element outwardly against a stop on the housing part.Advantageously, only restricted mounting space is required in thehousing part for one actuating element, or for two actuating elements,because the actuating element is arranged transversely to the axis ofrotation of the rotary cylinder.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the actuatingelement and the locking element in operative engagement with theactuating element are integrally designed as one component part. In thisconfiguration, the actuating element is fitted so as to project from theoutside of the housing part, while the locking element is provided inthe housing part, preferably on the bottom side of the housing part.

It is preferred that the actuating elements are arranged on two opposedlongitudinal sides of the housing part. Favourably, this offers ease ofmanipulation to the user of the device when unlocking the housing part.A symmetrical introduction of force is ensured by the two oppositeactuating elements.

Further features, advantages and possible applications of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description ofembodiments shown in detail in the accompanying drawings. All featuresdescribed and/or illustrated form per se, or in any combination desired,the subject matter of the present invention, irrespective of theircombination in the claims or the appendency of the claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a depilating device according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a depilating device including twoassembly units according to the present invention, i.e., themechanically operated component parts and a part of the housing shells.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembly unit with mechanicalcomponent parts, wherein the depilator head with the rotary cylinder isremoved from the driving unit.

FIG. 3A shows a spring element between an assembly unit and a housing.

FIG. 4A is a frontal view of an assembly unit.

FIG. 4B is a cross-section of the assembly unit in FIG. 4A along theline A--A.

A depilating device 1 in FIG. 1 comprises a multiple-shell housing,i.e., housing bottom part 2 and a depilator head 3. Housing 2 includes ahousing top shell 4, a bottom shell 5 and a lateral part 6.

The depilator head 3 mainly includes a housing part 7 which accommodatesa rotary cylinder 8 having pinching elements 9, 9', . . . An actuatingelement 10 is arranged on the front side of the housing part 7 andprojects from the surface of the housing part 7. The actuating element10 is actuated to unlock the depilator head 3. A slider switch 11,serving to adjust the respective operating condition of the device 1, isfitted to the upper shell 4 of housing 2.

The bottom part of housing 2 and the depilator head 3 are preferablymade of hard plastic material and isolated from each other by acircumferential partition line 12 so that the housing 2 and thedepilator head 3 are not in contact.

The housing 2 in FIG. 2 mainly accommodates an electric motor 13 and agear 14 which are coupled to the depilator head 3 and jointly form anassembly unit 15 of the mechanically operated component parts.

Vibration absorbing elements 16, 17, 18 are attached to the assemblyunit 15. These elements can be annular elements 16, 17 or a cylindricalcap 18 made of an elastic rubber material, for example. The annularvibration absorbing elements 16, 17 are mounted on opposed ends of themotor 13 and the gear 14. The cylindrical vibration absorbing element 18is slipped onto one end of a pin 19 which is connected to gear housing30. Vibration absorbing elements can also be elastic spring elements, asshown in FIG. 3A. In place of pin 19, other mating retaining means suchas a web, a projection, or other similar elements may be used.

The upper shell is removed from the housing 2 so that the inner sides ofthe bottom shell 5 and the lateral part 6 are visible. Points of support20, 21 are provided in the bottom shell 5, and points of support 22, 23are provided in the lateral part 6. The assembly unit 15 is insertedinto the housing 2 so that the vibration absorbing elements 16, 17, 18are exactly fixed in position in the respective mating points of support20, 21, 22, 23.

According to the present invention, the depilating device is subdividedinto two separate assembly units, i.e., a housing 2 and an assembly unit15 with the mechanically operated component parts 8, 13, 14. The housing2 is thereby uncoupled effectively from the assembly unit 15 so that allacoustical and/or mechanical vibrations produced in the device areconducted to the housing 2 in an absorbed fashion. In addition, anymechanical influences acting on the housing 2 from the outside will beabsorbed before they are transmitted to the assembly unit 15.

The assembly unit 15 in FIG. 3 can be subdivided by a locking device 29into the depilator head 3 and a drive unit 24, comprising motor 13 andgear 14. The locking device 29 mainly includes a locking element 25,provided in a recess 26 on the bottom side of the housing part 7, and acoupling element 27, arranged on the upper side of the gear housing 30.The coupling element 27 has a nose-shaped projection 28 which can beinserted into the recess 26 and locked by the locking element 25 whenthe actuating element 10 is actuated.

FIG. 4A shows the assembly unit 15 which includes the depilator head 3and the drive unit 24. A longitudinal cross-section taken along lineA--A is shown in FIG. 4B.

The gear 14 is fitted to the motor 13 and connected to the housing part7 of the depilator head 3 by way of the locking device 29. The rotarycylinder 8 with the pinching elements 9, 9', . . . is arranged in thehousing part 7.

The locking device 29 has a symmetrical design so that an actuatingelement 10, 10' is arranged on each of the two longitudinal sides of thehousing part 7. The actuating element 10, 10' interacts with thecorresponding locking elements 25, 25' and coupling elements 27, 27'.

The two coupling elements 27, 27', having their nose-shaped projectionsarranged towards the middle of the device, are provided on the upperside of the gear housing 30. The rigid coupling elements 27, 27' are inengagement with the movably arranged locking elements 25, 25'. Thelocking elements 25, 25' are designed integrally with the actuatingelements 10, 10', for example. The locking elements 25, 25' are movedtowards each other and detached from the coupling elements 27, 27' bylateral pressure on the actuating elements 10, 10', in opposition to theforce of a compression spring 31 which is interposed between the twolocking elements 25, 25'. Subsequently, the depilator head 3 can beremoved vertically upwardly from the drive unit 24.

I claim:
 1. A depilating device comprising,a first housing comprising aplurality of shells; an assembly unit comprising:(a) a rotary cylinder;(b) a motor; (c) a gear assembly, wherein the gear assembly and themotor drive the rotary cylinder; and (d) a second housing incorporatingthe rotary cylinder, the second housing being detachably coupled to thegear assembly; and vibration absorbing elements; wherein the assemblyunit is supported in and isolated from the first housing by thevibration absorbing elements, and wherein the vibration abosrbingelements are located at points of connection between the assembly unitand the first housing.
 2. A depilating device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the motor and the gear assembly are rigidly interconnected.
 3. Adepilating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of theassembly unit and the first housing further comprises at least one of apoint of support and retaining means for mating with a point of support.4. A depilating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vibrationabsorbing elements are mounted on the assembly unit.
 5. A depilatingdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vibration absorbing elementsare mounted in the first housing.
 6. A depilating device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the vibration absorbing elements are designed to absorbat least one of acoustical and mechanical vibrations.
 7. A depilatingdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vibration absorbing elementsare made of elastic material.
 8. A depilating device as claimed in claim1, wherein the vibration absorbing elements are elastic spring elements.9. A depilating device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising apartition line between the first housing and the second housing.
 10. Adepilating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembly unitcomprises a locking device and the second housing is detachably coupledto the gear assembly by the locking device.
 11. A depilating device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the second housing includes at least onelocking element, and the gear assembly further comprises a gear housinghaving at least one coupling element, wherein the at least one couplingelement mates with the at least one locking element.
 12. A depilatingdevice as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second housing comprises atleast one actuating element for actuating the at least one lockingelement.
 13. A depilating device as claimed in claim 12, furthercomprising a spring, wherein the at least one actuating element ismovable in opposition to the force of the spring transversely to an axisof rotation of the rotary cylinder.
 14. A depilating device as claim inclaim 12, wherein each of the at least one actuating element and the atleast one locking element are formed as parts of a same component part.15. A depilating device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the secondhousing comprises at least a second actuating element and the at leastone and the at least second actuating elements are arranged on opposedlongitudinal sides of the second housing.
 16. A depilating device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the second housing is further detachablycoupled to the first housing.
 17. A depilating device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the vibration absorbing elements are made of rubber.